Columbia College · Photo: Ian Poellet · CC BY-SA 3.0On CDC estimates, Milton-Freewater is healthier than 10% of U.S. towns
Milton-Freewater differs from Oregon on 15 of 26 measures CDC estimates: 1 better, 14 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Milton-Freewater. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Milton-Freewater
More Milton-Freewater adults get no exercise
3 in 10 adults get no exercise outside work (30.8%), vs 20.1% across Oregon. Habits ↓
1 in 5 working-age adults in Milton-Freewater has no health insurance
19.2% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 8.5% across Oregon. Checkups ↓
Dental care lags in Milton-Freewater
51.7% of adults saw a dentist this year, vs 64.7% across Oregon. Among those 65 and older, 22.9% have lost all their teeth (Oregon 12.5%). Checkups ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Oregon figure falls outside Milton-Freewater’s likely range; at the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
What’s behind Milton-Freewater’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Milton-Freewater is healthier than 10% of U.S. towns, #137 of 142 in Oregon. Smoking holds the grade up (fewer adults who smoke than 32% of U.S. towns); physical distress pulls it down (better than 5%).
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Milton-Freewater’s median household income is $52,183; among the 6,523 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($39K–$65K), it’s healthier than 22%, so it sits below most towns with similar incomes, too.
Everyday habits, side by side with Oregon
Share of adults, with the Oregon figure marked.
0.3 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves
Keeping up with care
Share of Milton-Freewater adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Oregon.
Out of every 100 Milton-Freewater adults…
Milton-Freewater runs below OR on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 6. Tap one to see it as people.
Care in and near Milton-Freewater
No hospital or community health center in Milton-Freewater itself. These are the nearest.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Milton-Freewater; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
How Milton-Freewater adults are doing
On 1 of 2 measures, Milton-Freewater runs above Oregon.
A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Milton-Freewater and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milton-Freewater | D | 40.7% | 15.1% | 16.6% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Milton-Freewater adults live with a disability (Oregon 30%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Milton-Freewater
Share of adults, 33 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 26 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Milton-Freewater is better than Oregon on 1 and worse on 14; on the rest, the Oregon figure falls inside Milton-Freewater’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Milton-Freewater | OR | U.S. | vs OR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 29.6%26.3–33.1 | 19% | 19.4% | Worse |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 18.4%16.4–20.6 | 13.8% | 13% | Worse |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 19.9%17.8–22.2 | 17.5% | 15.9% | Worse |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 40.7%33.9–47.7 | 33.6% | 32.9% | Worse |
| Diabetes | 15.1%13.2–17.1 | 11.2% | 12% | Worse |
| High blood pressure | 34.6%30.9–38.3 | 32.7% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 33.6%29.8–37.5 | 34.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 29.4%26.4–32.5 | 27.4% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 12.6%11.2–14.1 | 11.9% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.5%6.8–8.3 | 8.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 8.1%7.3–9 | 6.5% | 6.4% | Worse |
| COPD | 9.5%8.4–10.7 | 6.8% | 6.3% | Worse |
| Stroke | 4.3%3.9–4.7 | 3.3% | 3.4% | Worse |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 22.9%19.1–27.2 | 12.5% | 12.3% | Worse |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 16.6%14.3–19 | 12% | 11.8% | Worse |
| No exercise outside work | 30.8%26.5–35.5 | 20.1% | 24.7% | Worse |
| Binge drinking | 14.9%12.3–18 | 15.4% | 15.4% | About the same |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 34.2%28.3–40.6 | 30.6% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 19.2%16.1–22.5 | 8.5% | 11% | Worse |
| Checkup in the past year | 71.8%67.7–75.7 | 72.6% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 51.7%47.8–55.7 | 64.7% | 63.2% | Worse |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 78.6%76.2–81 | 84% | 87.1% | Worse |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 71.9%68.7–74.8 | 71.4% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 59.6%54.4–64.8 | 63.4% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.4%66.6–81.4 | 77.6% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 24.3%21–28.1 | 27.1% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 39.8%35.4–44.3 | 30% | 30.1% | Higher |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 19.2%16.9–21.6 | 13% | 13.6% | Higher |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 20.3%18.1–22.8 | 14.6% | 13.9% | Higher |
| Hearing difficulty | 8.8%7.9–9.9 | 7.1% | 6.7% | Higher |
| Vision difficulty | 8.4%7.6–9.4 | 4.6% | 5.4% | Higher |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 11.8%10.5–13.2 | 7.9% | 7.9% | Higher |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 5.8%5.2–6.4 | 3.4% | 3.8% | Higher |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the Oregon figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Milton-Freewater
Is Milton-Freewater a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Milton-Freewater is healthier than 10% of U.S. towns: D for health, #137 of 142 in Oregon. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 22%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Milton-Freewater?
CDC estimates 40.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 33.9% and 47.7%, against 33.6% across Oregon and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Milton-Freewater?
Providence St. Mary Medical Center in Walla Walla, 12.1 miles in a straight line from Milton-Freewater’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 3 of 5 stars.
How many people in Milton-Freewater have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 19.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 16.1–22.5%), against 8.5% across Oregon.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Milton-Freewater more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from D− to C+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Milton-Freewater.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Oregon figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.